Liberal leadership | Coderre in campaign against the referendum threat

(Quebec) Denis Coderre “likes prevention rather than cure” and is launching – even if he is not yet an official candidate for the Liberal leadership – a movement against the referendum threat. In Quebec on Wednesday, the former mayor of Montreal placed himself as guardian of the federation.

“Would you like to talk about real business?” If you don’t want me to be a candidate, let go of the referendum,” Denis Coderre told the journalists who were waiting for him in the corridors of Parliament. The former mayor was at the National Assembly on Wednesday to attend question period from the stands of the Salon bleu.

Mr. Coderre traveled on his own and was not invited by the Liberal caucus. The parliamentary wing of the party confirmed that no meeting was on the agenda. “I want to be respectful to them, I didn’t ask anyone for support. Besides, I’m still thinking about it,” he said. Meetings are planned with “organizers, activists,” he said.

If he is thinking today of running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), it is because of the rise of the Parti Québécois (PQ), which is first in voting intentions. “The reason why I’m thinking about coming back is because of that,” said the main person involved.

“It’s not me who says that we are going to have a third referendum. I know that the PQ says that I am scary this morning, I mean, it’s not me who is talking about a third referendum, it’s not me who is comparing Quebec to Slovakia. It’s Mr. Plamondon,” added Mr. Coderre.

The PQ leader also approached the press scrum to listen to the former mayor. When he was notified of his presence, Mr. Coderre quickly invited Paul St-Pierre Plamondon in front of the cameras. “Come on, you’re going to make the news,” he said. “Mr. Plamondon, we do not agree, but I find you very dignified and very respectful,” added Mr. Coderre. The PQ leader briefly thanked him before welcoming him to Quebec.

A little earlier, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, however, had a message for him: “I have always said that we should not underestimate Denis Coderre, you see his ability to attract media attention, but I would tell him also not to underestimate us,” he said on Wednesday, deploring that Mr. Coderre is using a “fear argument” against independence.

Denis Coderre also affirms that the 2026 elections will be “a referendum campaign”.

“I have no reason to doubt Mr. Plamondon, he says that if he has the power, I will do [un référendum] so, that means that for the next election it will be the federalist-separatism axis, that’s clear. The Liberals are the only federalist party in Quebec,” he argued, taking a dig at François Legault’s CAQ.

He is now launching the “No, thank you” movement (slogan of the no camp in 1980) on social networks. “I don’t want Quebecers to be taken for granted and I prefer prevention to cure, we will be ready,” he explained.

His visit also confused the government’s message on Wednesday.

“Mr. Coderre who wants to take us back to the old days of Yes and No. Listen… I came to the CAQ because I think we’ve had enough of that era. So we look forward. I am Minister of Education and, as a society, we have issues that are much more important and priority than another referendum on sovereignty,” responded Minister Bernard Drainville.

“There will be no referendum, regardless of the fact that Denis Coderre and Paul St-Pierre Plamondon have now become the two best friends, one needing the other. The old parties bring back the same old question. […] What I see is that Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is very very very happy that Denis Coderre is currently imposing himself in the public space because the two are trying to promote another referendum. This is not what Quebecers want,” said Minister Jean-François Roberge.

South Shore of Quebec

Mr. Coderre must decide whether to jump into the Quebec political arena after his pilgrimage to Compostela in the spring. Then, “win or lose” the race, he will be a PLQ candidate in 2026. The former mayor of the metropolis let it be known on Wednesday that he would choose a constituency on the South Shore of Quebec, which does not include not Beauce, he said.

The National Capital needs “a structuring project” for public transport, like the tramway in Quebec. We must not “drop” a third highway link between Quebec and Lévis. “It’s not normal that a capital of 500,000 inhabitants does not have a structuring project. Now, we don’t have to put “bicycles” everywhere. I think we need a third link,” he stressed.

Mr. Coderre did not want to specify the form. “One, which costs as little as possible. Two, which ensures fluidity. We don’t need to dig a tunnel for that,” he said.

The Liberals were not very talkative before Mr. Coderre’s visit to the National Assembly. “Mr. Coderre, like any citizen, has the right to come to the National Assembly, he will attend the question period. The caucus is one thing, the party is something else,” argued Liberal MP Monsef Derraji.

Mr. Derraji refused to comment on the former mayor’s positions. “We will continue our work, there is a leadership race, […] will liberal activists choose a leader who will stop the independence movement? We are not there, the race will be on,” he said.

With Tommy Chouinard, The Press